


Strawberry

by alienbahby (sunwashigh)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grocery Store, Awkward Flirting, Fluff, Grocery Store, M/M, my grocery store experience helped me lmao, ya know the stuff u just start @ 12 am and then it's 3am and u hate ur old job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 10:13:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7570216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunwashigh/pseuds/alienbahby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Today's flavor was rocky road. Finn was indifferent to it, preferring butter pecan, but kept his opinion to himself. "I'm good." Since Kylo stayed with Armitage and the other baggers were busy, Finn bagged himself. He hid his smile, knowing exactly how much the amount would be today before letting it ring up. It was almost always the same.</p><p>"Why rocky road today?" He asks putting the carton in the bag.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strawberry

**Author's Note:**

> i saw some tags that were cute abt oscar getting different flavors and stuff and decided to make an AU of it lmao

Finn trudged his feet as he entered the building. The lines were long right when his shift began today. Always at four, people would rush in and rush out, standing in long lines, baskets full. There were other grocery stores around, but for some reason, people came to the Freshord'Oeurves. Quickly he clocked in. He was a few minutes early, and not ready to work. He checked his uniform, a plain gray dress shirt with black slacks. He need a lineup, but kept putting it off. He didn't look to wild. In fact, he was feeling himself today.

Moving on, he checked his schedule though he knew it like the back of his hand. The same as this week, and next week he had three days off. He would spend those days catching up in his studies. Sometimes, he'd study with his best friend, Rey. He checked his phone to see a text from her. She sent him a picture of some beetle she found. Walking to the lockers/break room, Finn saved the picture so he can examine it more. It looked cool with red and yellow on the wings. He wondered what kind of beetle was it and how she found it.

As he puts his phone away, the intercom comes on. "Finn to the front please. Finn to the front." The called man scoffs, stuffing his hands in his pocket. At least today it was only four hours.

* * *

He cleared his line in forty-five minutes. It's not a record for him (fifteen minutes at an express lane) and he had help from one of the experienced baggers, Ben. Ben crossed his arms when he's finished, watching as Finn smiled at the woman in front of him with two children. The kids kept talking to him while he scanned. They just got out of school and their mom let them get two boxes of fruit snacks for passing their math test. Ben snorted and continued to bag the groceries. Finn ignored him and continued to do so as he leaned against the small wall behind him.

"You're getting better at this." Ben remarked, pushing his hair to the side. Finn shrugged, "It's my job, Ben."

The taller man shook his head, "Don't call me that. I'm Kylo."

"Right Kyle. My bad."

Kylo/Ben stomped his foot, going over to the next register to complain to Armitage. Finn slumped back, sighing. Ben only worked here because of his dad and Finn had heard it was similar to the uptight redhead he complained to now. Finn didn't see the need to reach out and be their friend anymore. He tried once but they had different tastes that Finn couldn't 'appreciate' in their words.

He stood straighter when their manager came by. Phasma. He didn't know her last name, didn't care to know it. Among the employees in the front, she was 'affectionately' called Captain Phasma. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun all the time, and sometimes he would catch her talking to Kylo and Armitage, but it was rare. She spent most of her time just walking around, straightening items knocked down by careless customers and their children.

Once she passed, he rested again, glancing at the clock. Fifty minutes passed, three hours and ten minutes left. He taps his fingers on the scanning monitor, a song stuck in his head. While he waited for a customer, he thought of what he wanted for dinner. He had leftovers, but was he in a leftovers mood? He had to save his money for rent so eating out was not an option. Maybe Rey already made something. He wasn't sure figuring her exploring took up most of her time.

Finn snapped out of his trance when he heard things being put on the belt. Slightly embarrassed, he put on a faux happy smile, "Hello, did you find everything alright?" The man stood, putting an ice cream carton down. "Yep. Just like before. How are you?" The corner of his mouth perked up realizing who it was. He hadn't seen this guy, was his name Poe?, in a minute. For a little bit, Finn thought about just asking him out. That was Rey's advice. She only saw him once and gave her seal of approval, jokingly adding, "You can eat that mint chocolate chip while you talk about your days."

Today's flavor was rocky road. Finn was indifferent to it, preferring butter pecan, but kept his opinion to himself. "I'm good." Since Kylo stayed with Armitage and the other baggers were busy, Finn bagged himself. He hid his smile, knowing exactly how much the amount would be today before letting it ring up. It was almost always the same.

"Why rocky road today?" He asks putting the carton in the bag.

Poe paused, leaning on his basket. All these years and no one really asked. He assumed no one paid attention. "Haven't had it in a little bit. Figured, why not?" Finn hums in agreement, finishing the order. He didn't want to pry, but he did want to know why he always got ice cream. That's at least four dollars. He decided to make a lighthearted joke, instead of worrying about a stranger's lifestyle.

"Life can be a little rocky too sometimes." He kept his head down, realizing it sounded a lot darker than intended. "Suppose so..."

His heart sunk and Finn began to panic. He couldn't let this end awkwardly. He didn't want to tell that to Rey to get a pep talk about what to do next time if there is a next time. He could go to the R&R Convenience Store down the street to get the same ice cream for cheaper if Finn was too awkward.

"Do you um... Have a favorite flavor?" He asked, in hopes that maybe he could quickly amend the situation. Poe revealed his card and Finn got the screen ready. "Hmm," Poe rested the card against his lips, thinking. Finn tried not to stare, his eyes finally leaving the screen and looking up. He looked a little tired, with orange and black plaid shirt his hair a bit unkempt. Finn only hoped he himself didn't look stressed.

"I'll say strawberry, with real strawberries in it." He smiled inwardly. "My mom used to make homemade strawberry ice cream for shortcakes she'd also make. And other times, we'd come and buy different kinds. Never the same one over and over."

"Oh." Finn smiled back, happy that at least it got a smile out of him.

"Yeah. I wanted to keep the tradition alive since she's no longer with us."

Finn's eyes widened as he took back that last statement. How does he keep on doing this? "Oh, I'm so sorry."

Poe swiped his card, "It's fine. It's been years since she passed."

Finn's head began to hurt. He couldn't attempt to flirt anymore without it becoming depressing. He didn't know his mom died. How could he guess that? He took a deep breath and placed the bag on the counter. "Well, I'm still sorry for accidentally bringing it up. Here's your receipt."

Poe took it and the bag with a nod. "It's totally fine, Finn."

He was happy he was on the clock and being watched by the Captain. Otherwise, he'd fall straight back. He forgot for a second how he knew his name before remembering his name tag. "Have a great day."

"You too."

He exhaled deeply once he left and wiped his face. That was something else. Finn never lost his game like that, remembering how he talked a customer down after their popcorn was priced higher than advertised. But at least he could fix that. He couldn't bring Poe's mom back and he didn't want to mess with necromancy anyway. That was something he could see Kylo and Armitage doing in their spare time.

"Finn!" He turned in the direction of the voice, wondering who it was calling him. He assumed one of Rey's friends until he saw the true source. "I didn't like how that ended earlier. It wasn't super ideal y'know? But anyway, here." He handed him the receipt. "My number and info in case you wanna... Eat ice cream together." Finn stared at the folded up paper in his hand then back at the nervous man. Yes nervous.

Finn curled his fingers up, nodding. "Yea-of course, yeah. I can do that. Ice cream and stuff. Though, I gotta tell you, my favorite flavor is butter pecan."

"Really?" His eyebrow raised. Finn nodded, "Ever since I was little."

"Alright. I'll have to get right on that." They both stared at the other with silly smiles, unsure what to say. If he could go now, Finn would leave with Poe, but the money... "I'll text you once I get off?"

"Yeah. Okay. Cool. I'll keep a look out." He winked before going again, leaving Finn with butterflies and sweaty palms. He unclenched his fist and stared at the handwriting. It was messy, but expected if he wrote it in a hurry. He studied the numbers, trying to remember them as fast as he could while wishing he could go on his break to send him a message now.

"Finn." He jumped at her voice, clenching to the receipt. "To the front."

"Okay, Cap-Phasma." She walked off, seeing a light flash and a cashier needed assistance. He relaxed, moving the front of his lane, still looking at the receipt. For the moment, he remembered the numbers and hummed to a small tune to keep them in mind. A small older woman with a basket full of items gave him a big grin as she approached. He stuffed the receipt in his pocket and began to count down his shift until his shift ended.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks 4 reading! also, i hope that my grocery store clever First Order name was obvious. there aren't that many O words that would fit with groceries lol


End file.
